The invention generally relates to a wireless network and, more particularly, to a wireless network that augments a telecommunication system to broadcast a message from the telecommunication system to mobile stations associated with the wireless network and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention is also amenable to other applications.
Many types of telecommunications systems provide information and entertainment content to large numbers of end users. For example, AM, FM, and TV broadcast stations deliver news, entertainment, advertisements, and other types of programs via RF transmissions. Cable systems and satellite systems deliver similar content to subscribers.
Various parts of this telecommunication infrastructure are used by an emergency alert system (EAS) that provides the President of the United States with the capability to provide immediate communications and information to the public at the national, state, and local levels during periods of national emergency. The EAS may also be used to provide the heads of state and local government, or their designated representatives, with a means of emergency communication with the public in their state or local area. Law enforcement agencies may use the EAS as part of America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) alerts to provide urgent bulletins in the most serious child abduction cases.
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC), in conjunction with the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), implements the EAS. The FCC promulgated federal regulations (47 CFR Part 11) to define and regulate the EAS. The FCC provides information to broadcasters, cable system operators, and state and local emergency managers. The FCC also ensures state and local EAS plans comply with the FCC rules. The NWS handles emergency weather information to alert the public of dangerous conditions. FEMA contributes assistance to state and local emergency planning officials to help develop and execute their active participation in the EAS.
During certain times, persons desiring to receive the information or entertainment content described above may not have access to radios, televisions, or similar devices currently available for reception of such content. For example, during an electricity outage, persons may not have battery-powered radio or television. Moreover, an emergency shelter may not be equipped with or equipped to handle a radio or television. In a more common situation, a person may not have access to a radio or telephone when they are out of their home. These same persons may be carrying or have access to a mobile station (MS), such as a cellular telephone, that has access to a wireless network.
Thus, there is a particular desire for a wireless network that augments a telecommunication system by broadcasting a message from the telecommunication system to mobile stations associated with the wireless network.